


Different Waters

by CloversDreams



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Awkward Dancing, Black Clover Week, Confession, Day 2, Deep-sea mer Zora, Freshwater mer Finral, M/M, No Grimoire AU, Realization of Feelings, and more - Freeform, because why not, but theres still magic of sorts, finral is sheltered, mermaid au, theyre the friend neither knew they needed, zora hunts treasure
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-19 22:42:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20664998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloversDreams/pseuds/CloversDreams
Summary: Zora looked up from where the water rippled to see a purple eye peeking at him from behind a boulder.  There was a soft gasp and it quickly moved out of sight. Zora swam over to that boulder and pulled himself up onto the front side. He made sure to be as quiet as he could while he climbed to the very top of it.Zora tilted his head as he looked at the merman below. He couldn’t quite see at his current angle, but he could make out brown hair and a tail that was the same shade until about halfway, where it suddenly turned green. It had ornate green fins that looked feathery to him. Definitely eye-catching. Zora continued to study the merman and took note of the fact that it seemed like a rather jumpy creature. That meant he could have a little fun.He scratched at the boulder with his black claws and watched the merman stiffen. Once it looked up at him with wide, purple eyes, Zora grinned widely to flash his extra-sharp teeth and said, “Boo.”The merman let out a surprised shriek and flailed wildly. It fell right off of the rocks and tumbled into the water.





	Different Waters

There was a certain freedom that came with being a deep-sea merman. Zora thought about it often as he swam wherever he pleased. Other kinds of mers, though supposedly blessed with trivial things such as beauty or song, couldn’t travel far from their natural habitats for many reasons. His kind were considered to be the monstrous ones. They were the creatures that dwelled in the depths and others dared not speak of lest they be summoned.

If he did happen to cross paths with another type of mer, he was usually met with fear or disgust. He may have had unnecessarily sharp teeth that were only accentuated by the mask he wore, and a shark-like tail as black as the darkest depths of the sea, but he didn’t get that mentality. He hadn’t ever done anything to anyone.

Well screw the lot of them. Zora’s eyes were keen no matter the amount of light available. He could visit any part of the ocean without issue. His sharp teeth gave him the advantage in a fight. Honestly, it was just a long list of perks to be what he was. If other mers didn’t see it that way who cared? The lot of them were useless. He liked exploring the seas without interruption, anyway. Being on his own was the best.

Sometimes he discovered interesting things. He mostly liked to explore old shipwrecks. The things he found within them were always fascinating. Though most of them had no value to him personally, he knew someone else might think differently. He collected all sorts of souvenirs and brought them back home to sell to the highest bidder.

Mers were fascinated by objects that had once belonged to humans. That was yet another thing that Zora didn’t quite get. The objects were weird things that no mer could even use. What was the point in keeping them around? Oh well, a payment was a payment. Once the so-called treasures were out of his possession, he didn’t care what anyone did with them.

During his search for new places to explore he often found himself in unfamiliar surroundings. He could always tell by the waters. They’d chill tremendously, or heat to the point that it was almost uncomfortable. The waves would feel different against his tail. Something always stood out. It was never anything he couldn’t handle, being from such a hearty race of mers and all.

Perhaps the strangest place he’d discovered was the one he’d stumbled upon quite by accident. Zora had been exploring some underwater caverns and followed the path to a cave. He swam to the surface and let his eyes adjust to the dimly lit surroundings. He pulled himself up onto some rocks and looked around. Nothing in particular stood out. How boring.

Just when he was about to turn and head back the way he came, a swift glimmer caught his eye. He turned towards it and stared into the water that had just been behind him. He didn’t move a muscle in the hopes that whatever it was would show itself again. There was nothing. He hadn’t imagined it. He knew something was there. It’d eat away at him for the rest of forever if he didn’t at least try and investigate.

So he scooted off the rock and fell into the water that was on the other side of it. He immediately realized something was different. This water was nothing like what he’d breathed before. He scrunched his face then brushed his fingers over the gills beneath his ribs. He stuck out his tongue to taste it then quickly pulled it back again. How strange. The water tasted off somehow. Almost as if something was missing. This was definitely someplace new.

He took in his surroundings as he swam just a bit deeper into the unfamiliar territory. He didn’t even know how he’d explain this place if someone asked. There had to be some sort of trinket he could return with that would prove he wasn’t making it up. He was confident that he’d find something special if he searched hard enough.

He swam through the caverns until he came out the other side. Then he peeked his head just far enough above the water to look around. This was much closer to the shore than he’d ever been. He could hear the sounds of the humans living their lives completely unaware of him. As fascinating as it was, that didn’t matter if none of them got close enough to drop trinkets into the water. Maybe they did. He still had some exploring to do if he was going to find out.

Zora heard a noise behind himself and gasped. He spun around just in time to see the tip of a green tail before it was completely submerged. Whatever manner of creature that had been might actually have some answers for him. He dove underwater and was quickly in pursuit.

It was surprisingly fast as it swam through the underwater caverns. The lack of hesitation in the dark water showed that it clearly knew its way around. Zora couldn’t quite make out what kind of fish it was. He knew enough of the different languages they spoke to probably communicate with it, though. That was yet another benefit of his travels. All he had to do was catch up to the darn thing.

He followed it all the way back to the rocks that would lead him back home. Zora stopped and took a moment to look around. He didn’t see any sign of whatever lead him there. He surfaced and tried once again to see if he could spot it, but there was nothing. Where the heck had it gone? He frowned to himself and continued to look around.

Curious. Zora heard a soft sound, like that of a pebble hitting the surface of water, then turned towards it. He looked up from where the water rippled to see a purple eye peeking at him from behind a boulder. There was a soft gasp and it quickly moved out of sight. Zora swam over to that boulder and pulled himself up onto the front side. He made sure to be as quiet as he could while he climbed to the very top of it.

Zora tilted his head as he looked at the merman below. He couldn’t quite see at his current angle, but he could make out brown hair and a tail that was the same shade until about halfway, where it suddenly turned green. It had ornate green fins that looked feathery to him. They were actually pretty fancy compared to the ones he usually saw on other mers. Definitely eye-catching. Zora continued to study the mer and took note of the fact that it had gills on its neck. Nothing else he could see was particularly note-worthy. It did seem like a rather jumpy creature, though. That meant he could have a little fun.

Zora scratched at the boulder with his black claws and watched the merman stiffen. Once it looked up at him with wide, purple eyes, Zora grinned widely to flash his extra-sharp teeth and said, “Boo.”

The merman let out a surprised shriek and flailed wildly. It fell right off of the rocks and tumbled into the water. Zora couldn’t help but snicker to himself as he waited for the other to resurface. Once a curious head did so and blinked at him while still half-submerged, he leaned over just a bit and let himself roll off the boulder. He landed in the water and surfaced right next to the merman, who gasped then attempted to flee once more. Zora caught him by the wrist so he couldn’t. The water around them rippled with the motion even after he froze.

The merman’s lovely eyes were impossibly wide as he turned towards him and asked, “Who– _what_ are you? What do you want?”

“You’ve never heard tales of the deep-sea mers? That’s a first.” Zora snorted. He let go of the merman when it was clear that he was more curious than interested in fleeing. He looked around and asked, “So you live in this cave or something?”

The tension in the air seemed to dissipate a bit. The merman visibly relaxed as he realized they could have a civil conversation. He looked around then pouted and replied, “No, I don’t. I like to come here to explore sometimes. Though I was always warned not to. Danger lurks beyond.”

“Beyond what?” Zora had to ask.

The merman motioned past the rocks, towards where Zora had entered the cave. “Different waters.”

“Different? You mean we're not in the ocean right now?” Zora asked with a curious tilt of his head. It wasn’t an impossible idea, he supposed. The rocks he’d hopped over to get to this side could easily act as a barrier between this place and his home.

The merman nodded. He turned towards the ocean and sighed, “That water burns my kind and we can’t breathe in it.”

“Oh.” Zora understood a little bit more of the situation. This specific kind of mer wasn’t suited to leave its habitat. He’d seen similar things before. Part of him was glad that it hadn’t accidentally rolled into the wrong water when spooked earlier. That would’ve been a mess.

“I’ve heard the nearby humans refer to my home as a lake,” The merman hummed.

“That explains why the water feels and tastes different,” Zora muttered mostly to himself. It was all rather fascinating. He was lucky that his kind were so adaptable since he’d accidentally stumbled upon such a strange place. Now he _really_ wanted to know what kinds of treasures he’d be able to find. He was sure this mer would be the ticket to his discovering that. He grinned as he said, “Name’s Zora. I’m from the deep sea. What’s yours?”

“Finral… of the lake!” The merman squeaked.

Huh. Something about that was actually kind of cute. Zora didn’t dwell on it. He simply got back to business and asked, “Are you the only one that lives here?”

Finral nodded. “I am now. My family is gone.”

“What happened to them?” Zora asked without a second thought. He’d be willing enough to share that kind of information on his end if asked so he really didn’t consider that this mer wouldn’t be.

Finral bowed his head and frowned. His voice was soft as he replied, “They left.”

“Without you?” Zora could only ask one of the thousands of questions that had stirred within him. He might not have anyone around that he considered family anymore, but he knew that just didn’t sound right. In fact, that sounded like the exact opposite of what a family should do.

“Yeah, but it’s fine. I’ve got plenty of fish to talk to,” Finral assured him with a crooked smile.

“That’s hardly the issue,” Zora snorted. From the way Finral avoided looking at him it didn’t seem like the merman wanted to talk about it, so he didn’t pry. There was nothing worse than someone who didn’t know when to drop a subject. He decided to finally get to the real point of this conversation. “Is there any treasure around here?”

“What do you mean by treasure?” Finral asked right back, finally looking at him again.

Zora motioned vaguely with his right hand as he explained, “You know, old things that humans lost in the water. Stuff that you probably wouldn’t have any use for even if you did know what it was.”

“Ohh. No, there isn’t anything like that around.” Finral shook his head.

“Then what do you even do all day, sheesh…” Now that Zora knew he was just wasting his time this whole interaction seemed rather tedious. He supposed he should just head on back into the ocean and continue his normal hunting. There wasn’t any real reason for him to stick around this place.

“Is that what you do?” Finral asked out of the blue. He swam just a bit closer and added, “You hunt the ocean for treasure? That sounds exciting.”

Zora couldn’t do anything about the half-smile that spread across his face. This mer had an eye for talent, it seemed. He nodded and declared, “It is. I’ve got some stories you wouldn’t even believe!”

Finral practically lit up as he chirped, “I’d love to hear about it!”

Zora blinked at the merman and sized him up for a moment. There was genuine interest in his eyes. He meant what he’d said. The guy didn’t mention how long he’d been alone for but he probably just wanted someone else to talk to. Good thing Zora didn’t mind telling a few of his favorite tales of his adventures. The ones that had brushes with death were always exciting. He’d get back to his hunting after just a few riveting tales.

The sun had begun to set by the time Zora finally realized it had gotten late. He’d been so caught up in his stories that he hadn’t noticed. He’d let Finral lead him back to the main part of the lake where there was a beach they could sit on. That way they could keep their tails wet and also enjoy the warmth of the sun. According to the merman, anyway. Zora didn’t usually go for that sort of thing, but he found himself in the mood to give it a try. Perhaps that was because he was in good company. He couldn’t really be sure.

It was a little island that was out of view of any prying human eyes, which was preferable. He got right to work telling his tales. While he’d thought the action-filled ones would be the biggest hits, he found that Finral quite enjoyed silly ones. The sound of the merman’s cute little laugh as he attempted to muffle the noise with his hand was unlike anything Zora had ever experienced. It danced along his skin and made it prickle with warmth. Something deep within him stirred because of it. Zora chose to ignore it.

When Zora finally mentioned having to leave he watched Finral slump. Though the merman wouldn’t say as much, he gave off some of the loneliest vibes Zora had ever encountered. Just short of his own, probably. In an effort not to think too long on that, he ended up promising to visit again. He’d never seen someone light up so quickly over something so trivial.

Finral saw him off with a smile and a wave. Zora was sure that he’d never forget either as he began his swim back home. As much as he wanted to believe that his promise to return had been a lie just to get out of the situation, he already knew that he’d make good on it. If for no other reason than the fact that he couldn’t stand the idea of being the cause of the merman’s sadness. Maybe he’d gone soft.

The more days that passed the more Zora’s mind seemed to wander to that silly merman in that lake. He couldn’t help but wonder if Finral was just sitting around day in and out awaiting his return. He certainly wouldn’t put it past him. The thought made Zora feel a bit terrible. Sure, he’d said he’d return, but he’d never mentioned any sort of time frame. It was supposed to be at his own discretion, after all. What he should’ve said was that he’d return _someday_. Probably.

Zora couldn’t help but hate the sound of that. In fact, he found it was the motivation he needed to finally go back and visit that lake again. As he began the journey back he pat the small pouch attached to his belt. He was sure that Finral had forgotten all about his little promise but on the off chance that he was looking forward to his return, well, Zora had a real treat to share with him.

As he swam he couldn’t help but wonder if he should have something witty to say when he came across the merman again. Generally, he didn’t practice things like that and he lived in the moment. He had no idea why such a weird thought even crossed his mind. It was easy enough to push aside as he continued towards his destination.

Zora swam until he came upon the rock formation that evidently separated the lake from the ocean. He pulled himself onto it then slid into the water on the other side. He shuddered as his gills took in the very different water. Once his body got used to the feeling, he was good to go. He looked around for any sign of the merman he was there to see.

It was probably a good thing that the guy hadn’t just been sitting there waiting for him to return. At least Zora wouldn’t have to feel guilty about making him wait or anything. He dove underwater and swam through the caverns until he was on the other side.

He peeked his head above the water just enough so that he could look around. He didn’t see any humans on the beach by their dwellings, which was good. He turned and swam in the opposite direction, which was out of their potential line of sight. It was the safest place for the merman to be. He knew that he’d made the correct assumption when he heard a soft chuckle.

Zora stayed as quiet as possible as he approached the small island where he knew the merman liked to relax. He just barely saw the tip of a green tail. He zeroed in on his mark until it was clear that Finral was lying on his stomach at the top of a shallow, sandy slope. He was busy chatting with a crab. Zora had the perfect chance. He leaped out of the water and exclaimed, “Boo!”

“Wha– _aaah_!” Finral yelped and rolled over to look at the intruder only to continue to roll down the little slope and end up in the lake below.

Zora couldn’t help but burst into a fit of laughter. He watched Finral resurface and give him a look. Man, he couldn’t see how that bit would ever get old. The two of them pulled themselves ashore so that only the ends of their tails remained in the water. Zora still wanted to snicker but he did his best to fight it.

“I’d say it’s good to see you but I’m not so sure it is,” Finral huffed with a pout.

“Aw, come on. You missed me.” Zora nudged him with his elbow and grinned. He watched Finral hold his chin in the air and turn away from him. Zora removed the pouch from his side and jiggled it as he said, “I guess that means you don’t want to see what I brought you.”

Finral gasped then turned towards him. His eyes were glued to the pouch as he asked, “What is it?”

“Hold out your hand,” Zora replied. He waited for the merman to do such then he opened the pouch and carefully emptied the contents into his palm. He watched the way that Finral’s eyes practically sparkled as he admired the different jewels he held. Zora couldn’t help but sound proud as he explained, “I found these beauties in a sunken ship today.”

“Zora these are incredible…” Finral muttered as he picked up one of the gems with his free hand and held it up. He turned it slowly so he could watch the light reflect off its various surfaces. There was wonderment in his eyes as he smiled and hummed, “This one is the prettiest.”

Zora scrunched his face at the odd choice. He looked down at the rest of them and said, “Really? There are ones in much better condition.”

“Maybe so, but this…” Finral paused and looked at him out of the corner of his eye. He shook his head and cleared his throat then placed the jewel back in his palm with the others.

Zora looked down at the blue gem curiously. He didn’t see what was so special about the one that would probably fetch him the least amount of money. He looked at Finral and noticed that a faint blush had crept into his cheeks. If he liked the stupid thing that darn much he should’ve just said so, sheesh. He opened the pouch so Finral could dump the jewels into it then fished out the one he’d liked so much.

He squeezed his hand shut around it and considered what he was about to do for a long moment. It wasn’t so much the fact that he would be losing out on selling it, there was a different significance that gave him pause. To give another mer such a gift was an act of courting for his people. That obviously wasn’t Zora’s intention. He was just being nice for reasons he couldn’t even explain.

Although, now that he thought about it, he supposed that Finral lived such a secluded life that he wouldn’t know about such rituals. That was a bit of a relief. That meant that he wouldn’t ever gift him anything in return, which was how his people sealed the contract and began the courting ritual. He could do this without any consequence. He opened his hand and offered Finral the gem with a soft grunt. “Here.”

“What?” Finral simply blinked as he awaited an explanation.

Zora shrugged and didn’t even look at him as he replied, “You seem to like it so much, so keep it.”

“Oh, I couldn’t do something like that.” Finral shook his hands and head at the same time.

“Don’t want it? I certainly don’t need it. Fine, I guess I’ll have to toss the useless thing back into the water to be lost again.” Zora turned towards the lake and motioned to do just that. He stopped when Finral grabbed his arm with a yelp.

“Don’t do that!”

“So you do want it, then?” Zora asked as a knowing grin spread across his face.

Finral kept his gaze averted as he nodded. Zora opened his palm and waited. He watched the merman take the gem and then smile to himself. He didn’t expect Finral to hold it out right next to his face and say, “A perfect match.”

“Uhh… what is…?”

“Your eyes and the gem,” Finral hummed.

Oh. That’s what he’d stopped himself from saying earlier. Probably because he thought it was embarrassing. Not that it was. Zora turned his attention to re-attaching the pouch to the belt he wore. Once it was secure he sat back a bit and propped himself up with his hands. He wasn’t sure what he should talk about. Maybe nothing was best.

In the end he found that he didn’t mind letting Finral take the lead on the topics of conversation. It gave him a chance to observe the merman as he spoke about things that interested him. Finral was so unlike the mers Zora had known before him. None were as kindhearted. None were as happy-go-lucky in a situation that wasn’t exactly ideal. Not a one of them ever smiled at him as if they didn’t notice his monster-esque features before. Even though they’d only met twice, Zora felt like he could really be himself around Finral. He was just so genuine.

When it was finally time for them to part ways, Zora ended up promising to return yet again. He didn’t even know why. It was probably the raw emotion he saw in Finral’s eyes. The way the merman lit up afterwards was worth it in of itself. Finral even climbed atop the rocks that separated his home from the ocean and waved until the redhead was completely out of sight. Zora couldn’t help but smile at that. It was just as silly as it was cute.

♧

Just as promised, Zora continued his visits with Finral over the next few months. In fact, every time he found a new treasure that silly merman was the one he thought of showing it to first. That hadn’t always been the case. He was normally all about the potential payday. Lately things had changed.

He enjoyed the wonderment he saw in Finral's eyes as he tried to figure out what each new thing did. Sometimes he figured it out, sometimes he didn’t. Either way he always had a joyous smile upon his face. That was what Zora liked most. Lots of times it felt like the merman's happiness was infectious.

While most of his treasures had to return home with him so he could sell them, every now and then Zora would leave something behind. It was usually a shiny gem that had caught Finral's eye. He couldn’t help it. The way he lit up whenever he was told he could keep something otherwise insignificant was astounding. It was as if Zora had promised him all the riches in the sea with one tiny gem. Frankly, he envied that amazement.

Their friendship had become something of importance to Zora. That was an odd feeling for him. He never really found himself so attached to mers. He just couldn’t seem to help himself when it came to Finral. He was sure that he didn’t want to. He enjoyed their time together.

By his calculation this current visit marked the middle of the eighth month they'd known one another. As he hopped over the rocks that lead to the lake he wondered if he should’ve brought a gift. He didn’t even have any trinkets with him this time. This wasn’t like him at all. Maybe there were some old jewels at the bottom of his pouch. He’d check in a minute.

Zora swam to the small island on the secluded side of the lake. As expected, Finral was there. A smile spread across his face as he watched the very content merman sunbathe for a moment. It was almost a shame to interrupt. Maybe he should come back another time.

Finral turned and looked at him, as if he heard the thought. He grinned and waved then motioned for Zora to come over. “I’m getting better at sensing your presence,” Finral chuckled once the redhead was close enough that he didn’t have to yell, “soon you won’t be able to sneak up on me at all.”

“Doubtful,” Zora snickered. He climbed onto the sandy bank and made himself comfortable next to the merman. He was very aware of the fact that Finral scooted just a bit closer to him. Zora was quick to dismiss the way his heart nearly leaped out of his chest. He focused on something else instead. He rummaged through his pouch only to find it empty. He rubbed the back of his neck and muttered, “Guess I don’t have anything to give you today.”

“Your being here is gift enough,” Finral sighed contently. He laid his head against Zora’s shoulder and moved his tail so that it created ripples in the water it floated in.

Zora didn't respond. He wasn’t sure there was anything he could’ve said in that moment. A few silent minutes passed before Finral sat upright with a little ‘oh!’. Zora turned and looked at him curiously.

Finral tilted his head and asked, “Do you know what’s coming?”

Zora huffed in amusement. “That’s a bit ominous.”

“I mean the special moon later tonight,” Finral clarified.

Ah. That. The one day a year when the moon blessed merpeople with the ability to walk on land. It was such an ancient tradition that most merfolk didn’t even believe in it anymore. It had become a bit terrifying after a rather awful run in with some terrible humans a few hundred years ago. Now the story of that was told as well as the tale of the moon’s powers, but it was a warning. Most mers chose not to risk a trip to land these days, himself included. Better safe than sorry. Zora nodded as he eyed Finral. “I’m aware.”

There was a sparkle in Finral's eyes like nothing he’d ever seen before. He was positively glowing as he declared, “I’ve decided to go for it this year. You sharing all those human treasures with me really helped quell my fear. I want to see them up close.”

Oh boy. Zora’s gut twisted into the worst knot. He couldn’t be the reason this sweet merman ended up getting hurt or worse. He’d never be able to live with himself. He turned to ask Finral if he was sure he’d thought it through but stopped when he found himself nose to nose with the merman. He blinked a few times as all thoughts left his brain.

“I want you…” Finral whispered.

“W-_what_!”

“I said I want you to come with me. Are you feeling all right? You look paler than usual.” Finral pouted then reached out to put a hand upon the redhead’s forehead.

Zora removed his hand and muttered, “Yeah, I'm… I’m fine…”

Finral smiled a crooked smile at him. “So does that mean you’ll join me? It’s only for a few hours then we're right back to being our normal mer-selves. It’ll be fun.”

Zora thought about it. Though he wasn’t fond of the idea, he supposed it was the better option of two awful ones. At least if he was there too he could keep an eye on Finral. Since this whole situation was his fault, that seemed like the right thing to do. He nodded and watched the merman light up. A little bit of his hesitation melted away when Finral beamed at him.

Luckily for the two of them, by the time the moon rose the humans had already gone into their dwellings for the evening. That gave them a chance to swim to the shore without anyone noticing. It was a wondrous sight to sit on that beach and watch their tails split into legs. As this was a blessing bestowed on mercreatures, it didn’t hurt. It was extremely fascinating to watch. Though unsteady at first, the pair quickly managed to get a handle on their new appendages. Their first few wobbly steps brought them even further inland.

Even more good news for them was the fact that humans were a superstitious race by nature. There were tales about this night that had been passed down through the centuries. As such, they left an offering of clothes and snacks near the shore just in case any mers walked out of the water and visited. Zora and Finral had never seen such strange and confusing garments. They both got a kick out of trying to figure out which way they were supposed to go. Nothing quite seemed right.

They finally gave up on that and just tied some cloth around their waists. That was good enough for what they needed. The two of them held onto one another for support as they walked towards the fascinating buildings the humans had built. They both looked around themselves with a sense of wonderment. Even Zora couldn’t help but get lost in the feeling.

They came across a noisy place and peeked inside through a window. There were so many humans within. Some sat down and made terrible noises with weird tools that was vaguely reminiscent of music. Others clapped and sang along. Still others did something else entirely.

Neither of them could take their eyes off the happy humans as they laughed and spun around. Zora knew this. He’d heard of it before. Dancing. It was one of the things humans used their legs to do. It was fascinating to witness. His eyes widened as a man held onto a woman’s back and bent her backwards. The humans smiled fondly at each other then laughed loudly. It looked like they were having a really good time.

Zora heard a soft coo. He turned towards Finral and took note of the completely awestruck look upon his face. Yeah, he got that. This dancing of theirs looked like it was fun. In the right company, anyway. His body moved before his brain had a chance to register it. He grabbed Finral’s wrist and pulled him away from the window.

They both stumbled a bit because of the uneven slope of the ground beneath their feet. They managed to hang onto one another, so they didn’t actually fall. There was an amused gleam in Zora’s eyes as he attempted to mimic some of the moves they’d just witnessed. Finral’s eyes widened and he immediately caught on. He grinned and followed suit.

It was awkward. Their moves weren’t exactly what they’d just seen. These new limbs just didn’t move that way without practice. But it was the best either of them could do never having tried it before. For a first time with legs, it was actually an excellent job on both their ends. Even better than that was the ecstatic smile upon Finral’s face. If he was having that good of a time they were doing something right.

Their impromptu dance ended with Zora’s attempt at a dip like the one they’d seen. That was just a bit too advanced for them. They both tumbled to the ground and then rolled onto their backs and laughed it off. They turned towards one another and smiled. There was something unspoken in their eyes that felt too important to keep to themselves. Zora couldn’t quite figure out what it was. He really wished he knew.

He reached out and brushed the bangs out of Finral’s face then found himself left breathless by the sight of him. The happy blush in his cheeks. The way his smile reached his eyes and they shined with glee. The fact that he looked like he’d opened his mouth to say something. Zora held his breath and waited, but no words came. Finral simply averted his gaze then sat up. Zora followed suit and the pair helped one another onto their strange feet.

They dusted themselves off as best they could then Finral took Zora’s hand and smiled. “So we don’t get separated.”

Zora didn’t argue. He simply held the merman’s hand and let himself be lead further through the village. They ended up at a beach on the opposite side of the one that they’d come from. Finral could barely contain his excitement. He never got to see this because he never ventured so close to the humans before. He immediately began to search the shoreline for anything interesting. Zora smiled to himself as he watched. There was no need to interrupt his fun. This kind of opportunity was rare for him.

They both felt a tug from the moon when it finally started to set. That meant it was time for them to head back into the water where they belonged. Finral didn’t seem to mind as he hurried back to the shore at the other end of the village. His arms were full of all the interesting rocks and shells he’d found along the beach. He’d take his time and go through them properly later.

The two of them walked into the lake until it was more than waist deep. Their legs fused back into proper tails and then they dove underwater then raced back to the caverns. When they finally resurfaced again they were in the cave that connected the lake to the ocean. Finral put all his new trinkets on a flat bit of rock then started to sort them by size and color.

Zora watched him for a moment, glad that he still seemed so happy. He did realize that he had to leave, though. While it was a shame to interrupt the merman, he tapped him on the shoulder. He waited for Finral to spin around and look at him before he finally said, “I’m gonna head back home now.”

“Oh! OK! I wanted to thank you for joining me tonight. I probably would’ve chickened out if you weren’t there and I had tons of fun.” Finral smiled warmly. He turned and grabbed something off of the rock then offered it to Zora and said, “I’d like you to have this.”

Zora’s gaze fell to the shell in the middle of Finral’s palm. It was nice. Really nice. Probably one of the prettiest ones he’d ever seen, even in this dark cave. His mouth went dry. After the night they’d just had he wanted nothing more than to accept it. But he couldn’t do that. Finral didn’t know the significance of a gesture like that and he couldn’t take advantage of it. Zora shook his head then ignored the little internal voice that yelled for him to stop and muttered, “I don’t want it.”

Finral’s shoulders slumped and he brought the shell to his chest. He frowned and bowed his head then sighed, “Oh, sorry, I just thought…”

“What’s that look about?” Zora asked, in an attempt to change the subject. If they focused on anything else right now that’d be a blessing.

Finral’s voice was a mere whisper when he replied, “You give me things all the time so–”

“Not because I’m looking for you to return the favor. I’ve made that clear before.” Zora cut him off. He crossed his arms and looked at the merman sternly.

“Oh. OK.” Finral didn’t look at him. He simply nodded to show that he’d understood.

“Don’t look so disappointed. It’s a very nice shell. One of the nicest I’ve ever seen. You should be able to admire your good find whenever you like. Can’t do that if I take it with me.” Zora did his best to show the merman a better way of thinking. He should be able to keep his treasure and take some pride in it. Or something.

“I understand.” Finral nodded once again.

_No, you really don’t. I want nothing more than to accept the offer you don’t even realize you made. I have no idea what’s wrong with me._ Zora kept his thoughts to himself. He pat Finral on the head then turned to leave. He gasped when he was hugged from behind. He huffed softly in amusement then pried Finral’s hands off of him and hopped over the rocks which lead to the ocean. He pulled himself up so he could look over the edge and then said a quick goodbye.

Zora’s mind was flooded with all sorts of thoughts he didn’t want or need. The night that he’d thought would be a chore ended up being a great time. The only reason for that was because of who he got to spend it with. He wanted to have more nights like that. Days too. As much time as he possibly could, really.

Everything was going just fine and he didn’t have to think about those things. Then Finral had to go and offer him that shell, ugh. Zora was all sorts of confused about just how strong his desire to accept it had been. As much as he liked the merman, he hadn’t ever considered that he might actually _like_ him. He didn’t even know how something so ridiculous was supposed to work. Well, he knew in theory, but that wasn’t the point. He was exhausted by the time he made it back home. He needed a nap.

Zora removed his belt and the pouch attached to it only to realize that he felt something within. He opened it to find the shell from earlier. Finral must’ve slipped it into his pouch during that hug. Tricky merman. He smiled to himself as he thought about the good time they had together. It had definitely been an evening to remember, as well as an eye opener. He’d gotten too attached to this merman. That meant it was time to put some space between them. He closed his hand around the shell and did his best to ignore how every fiber of his being told him it wanted the exact opposite.

Weeks went by and Zora was able to stick to his resolve. He supposed part of the benefit of befriending a mer that couldn’t leave his habitat was that he’d never be sought out. Any visits he did or didn’t follow through with were his own decision. He always made sure to swim in the opposite direction of the caverns that lead to the lake when he went out exploring. That way he removed all temptation. He’d been good about ignoring the burning desire within that he had to return.

He couldn’t deny that he missed Finral’s eyes. And his smile. Not to mention hearing him laugh. Oh, Zora was a wreck. He couldn’t believe himself. His mind was completely clouded with thoughts of the merman and hardly anything else. He’d dreamed about their little adventure on land nearly every night since. Though it always seemed to end differently. They’d fall while dancing and then laugh together. After that, in the light of the full moon their eyes would fall shut and… he would wake up.

It was on a day where he didn’t much feel like going out exploring that he removed a certain shell from his pouch and ran his thumb along it. He often did this when his mind wandered to a certain merman. He found it cold to the touch. Zora blinked a few times. He supposed the temperature had dropped quite a bit lately. He never really paid that sort of thing any mind, being built to survive in the harsh conditions of the deep sea like he was. He blinked a few times and was struck with a sudden realization. He had no idea if Finral migrated.

The mere suggestion that he’d be unable to see him for the next few months did not sit well with Zora at all. Especially not if Finral didn’t understand why he’d been gone so long. He couldn’t have the merman thinking he was mad at him or anything. Zora cursed himself for being an idiot. He should’ve realized all this weeks ago. He stuffed the shell into the pouch by his hip then took off as fast as he could towards the underwater caverns he’d avoided lately.

As soon as he surfaced in the familiar cave he hopped over the rock formation in his way and landed in the lake on the other side with a splash. He didn’t even pause to take a minute to adjust to the different water this time. He simply swam out the other side and to the little island where he knew Finral spent most of his time. The wave of relief that washed over him when he saw the familiar head of brown hair was indescribable. He had to stop himself from leaping out of the water and tackle-hugging the merman. He had no idea how he’d ever explain that one without sounding like he’d lost his mind.

Instead he swam right up to Finral and did his usual ‘boo!’. To his surprise the merman didn’t even flinch. He was so into whatever he was doing that he didn’t look up from it as he asked, “You returned?”

“Don’t sound so excited,” Zora grunted. He’d expected a much different greeting after so long, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, he supposed.

“You were gone a long time.” Finral’s response was soft and flat. He kept any emotion he may or may not have felt on the matter out of his voice.

“Yeah, I’m like that.” Zora didn’t have anything else to say on the subject. There was no real excuse for him staying away that made any sense. He pulled himself onto the sand and sat next to the merman. He turned and watched the lake sparkle as he asked, “So, do you migrate?”

“Would it matter if I did?” Finral asked right back.

_Yes. Of course. I don’t know what I’d do with myself if I suddenly couldn’t see you for the next few months._ Zora stayed silent since he wasn’t sure how to voice that without sounding desperate for something he couldn’t even explain. There was silence between them for the next few moments. Zora had to wonder if returning was a mistake after all. Maybe his little disappearing act had rubbed Finral the wrong way and ruined the friendship they’d build. That certainly left a bad taste in his mouth. Though he knew there’d be no one to blame but himself if it were the case.

“What are you doing?” Zora finally asked, miffed by the silence between them. If the merman had something to say he should just up and say it. He was well aware of the irony of that thought.

“Trying one last time,” Finral muttered under his breath.

“Trying what?” Zora turned his head towards him and blinked.

Finral continued what he was doing and said, “To see if you’ll accept me.”

“Do you realize that you’re not making any sense right now?” Zora sighed. He didn’t know what he’d expected. That was just how the merman was.

Finral turned towards him and held up a bracelet made of shiny pearls. He offered it to Zora and mumbled, “This is just as many things as you’ve ever given me, if not more.”

Zora turned his head away from him and sighed, “I already told you that I don’t need to be repaid for that.”

“I’m not repaying you.” Finral immediately retorted. He furrowed his brow and shook his head. He squeezed the bracelet in his hand then grumbled, “I’m trying to accept your offer, but apparently I can’t even do that much correctly. It’s no wonder they left me behind.”

“What…” Zora turned towards him and blinked.

Finral’s cheeks darkened and his gaze fell to the sand between them. He relaxed his hand and opened it so the bracelet was on display. There was determination in his voice, even if it was barely above a whisper as he replied, “I’d like to be yours. If you’ll have me.”

“If I’ll _huh_?” Now Zora was sure he was hearing things. His brain had played tricks on him before, but this was just cruel.

“I totally understand if you don’t want me. I’m not particularly special. I can’t even breathe in the water you come from. I also can’t seem to figure out a good enough courting gift to offer you in return…” Finral chuckled nervously then tucked his hair behind his left ear. He sighed to himself before he finally continued, “but I think about you no matter what I do. More than anything else. The recent time we spent apart only confirmed how much I needed to do this. Even if your answer was no.”

“I… you…” Zora’s words failed him. It might’ve been the worst possible moment for that to happen. He watched the merman’s shoulders slump.

Finral dropped the bracelet onto the sand between them. He sounded defeated as he sighed, “I knew it was a long shot. At the same time, if anyone could make this situation of ours work it'd be you. Assuming you wanted to. I guess that answers that.”

Zora picked up the bracelet and turned it slowly as he mumbled, “This is…”

Finral rubbed the back of his neck. He nodded and admitted, “I know the pearls aren’t perfect like the ones you’re used to. I looked really hard for some that were round but that’s just not how they seem to grow here. I did my best with what I had. Sorry.”

“What are you apologizing for?” Zora asked as he slipped the bracelet onto his wrist. He didn’t even wait for a response and immediately wrapped his arms around the shocked merman. His voice was a bit shakier than he would’ve liked as he muttered, “You’re ridiculous. So, so ridiculous.”

“I am? Is that why you’re squeezing me so hard?” Finral chuckled nervously. Clearly he was unsure what was happening.

“One of many reasons, yes,” Zora muttered into his shoulder. He quickly added, “I accept.”

“W-wha…?”

Zora lifted his head and turned it then whispered right into the merman’s ear as he said, “I accept your gift. I want you to be mine, Finral. Just as much as I want to be yours.”

Finral let out a soft whimper and then wrapped his arms around Zora and squeezed. He buried his face in his neck and muttered some incoherent nonsense about how happy that made him. Zora huffed softly in response. Finral looked up at him and blinked as the redhead wiped the tear from his cheek. It was after that, under the loving warmth of the colorful sunset above, that the two of them finally shared their first kiss. It certainly wouldn’t be the last. They’d both see to that.

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE CHECK OUT [ THIS BEAUTIFUL ART ](https://mad-serotonin.tumblr.com/post/187757919327/black-clover-week-day-2-mermaids-art-for)THAT MAD-SEROTONIN DREW FOR THE FIC <3<3<3<3  
*
> 
> I love any excuse to write fantasy aus for my ships!!! AAaaaa
> 
> I actually think freshwater pearls are much lovelier than the others. Zora certainly does now too. He wears them proudly :3
> 
> Zora giving up the treasure hunting life and moving into the lake to be with Finral as much as possible? Its more likely than you think.
> 
> Doesn’t matter which water they dwell in theyre def stupidly domestic and cuddly <3<3


End file.
